Role of Public Health in Wildfire: Lessons from the Field

Risk of human exposure to wildfire is increasing, with detrimental effects on human health. Public health is uniquely placed to support community resilience during wildfire events, but the nature of public health’s role remains unclear. Participants were recruited from government health entities in Southwestern counties that had previously experienced wildfires or significant smoke exposure. We used semi-structured interviews to understand perceptions and actions around wildfire response. To support public health practitioners’ role in proactive and comprehensive wildfire outreach, evidence to support the interventions is summarized. In June 2024, 14 individuals from 12 organizations in Arizona and New Mexico were interviewed. Three themes emerged: (1) clear and consistent messaging, (2) connecting people to resources, and (3) flexibility supports capacity. There is evidence to support the need for clear and consistent messaging, but limited evidence on best practices for difficult to reach communities. More evidence is needed for which interventions work during a wildfire, adaptations for marginalized communities, and interventions when facing multiple hazards. Public health is shifting from passive education to proactive, comprehensive wildfire outreach. As part of a cross-sectoral response, public health is integral to disseminating consistent and clear messaging. Further, public health has an important role in facilitating access to resources, though there is a need for efficacy studies of what resources, under which circumstances, and for which populations. Finally, any successful response will require cooperation across sectors and community partners. Within the funding landscape for public health entities, flexibility in resource allocation is critical.